At the Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona, Minnesota, you'll find a painting that seems to go on forever. 

It's called "The Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage 'Round the World." At 1,275 feet long, it's believed to be the longest painting in North America.

It's so big, it can only be shown one section at a time.

"So every 10 to 15 days or so, we advance the piece another 40 feet," said Dave Casey, the museum's director of engagement. "It takes 12 to 14 staff members and volunteers to move the entire panorama forward. So it's not hard, but it's labor intensive."

When it was first displayed in 1848, it was like going to the movies. 

"When it was originally displayed to the public, it would have been set up at a theater, and they would have it on two rolls and they would turn those rolls to move, to advance the scene along," Casey said.

The panorama captures the highs and lows of a whaling voyage. From calm waters to foundering ships, even the eruption of a volcano. But most importantly, it tells the story of when whaling was central to the economy and way of life.

Eddie Montero came from Lexington, Virginia, to see the painting. A retired Navy captain, he's sailed those same waters.

"I've been through these waters twice in my lifetime, and its a lot easier to do it now than it was back then," Montero said. "It brings me back to the two time that we went around the Strait of Magellan or around 'the horn.'"

For him, the painting is a reminder of the treacherous seas that shaped him.

"The Pacific Ocean, it's really not calm at all. The minute you enter the waters, you are just beaten down with waves and currents and winds," he said. "So it brought back some fun memories."

If you want to see the painting as it's moved, they have plans for Oct. 14, 23 and 31. You can learn more here.